Four charged with smashing mailboxes

Published: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 12:47 PM.

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GRAHAM — Three teenagers and a 20-year-old were charged with a mailbox-smashing spree early Tuesday.

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office charged Davidson Mains, 18, of Grove Lane in Swepsonville; Laura Smith, 18, of Shagbark Lane in Graham; and Johnathan Riley, 20, of Crawford Road Graham. The three face one count each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and 60 counts of injury to real property.

A 15-year-old boy was also detained and juvenile petitions alleging multiple counts of injury to real property will be sought, the sheriff’s office said.

At about 12:23 a.m., Alamance County Central Communications told deputies that there had been reports of mailboxes being damaged in the Mebane area. Deputies checked the area.

At 3:23 a.m. a newspaper delivery person notified deputies that there were a number of mailboxes damaged along Holmes Road and in the surrounding area. Deputies found damages on Holmes Road, Old Arbor Road, Turner Road, Fox Hall Road and Wood Road.

“Damage was also located along roadways that, within the previous hour, were observed by deputies as being free of damage,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Randy Jones said in a press release. “Property owners were contacted and investigations were initiated. Information was received indicating a dark colored vehicle was a potential suspect occupied by at least two (white males).”

At about 4 a.m. town of Elon police Unit and an Elon University campus police reported stopping a vehicle on Williamson Avenue in Elon matching that description. Deputies met with the Elon officers and the four occupants in the car were charged by both Elon police and the sheriff’s office.

GRAHAM — Three teenagers and a 20-year-old were charged with a mailbox-smashing spree early Tuesday.

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office charged Davidson Mains, 18, of Grove Lane in Swepsonville; Laura Smith, 18, of Shagbark Lane in Graham; and Johnathan Riley, 20, of Crawford Road Graham. The three face one count each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and 60 counts of injury to real property.

A 15-year-old boy was also detained and juvenile petitions alleging multiple counts of injury to real property will be sought, the sheriff’s office said.

At about 12:23 a.m., Alamance County Central Communications told deputies that there had been reports of mailboxes being damaged in the Mebane area. Deputies checked the area.

At 3:23 a.m. a newspaper delivery person notified deputies that there were a number of mailboxes damaged along Holmes Road and in the surrounding area. Deputies found damages on Holmes Road, Old Arbor Road, Turner Road, Fox Hall Road and Wood Road.

“Damage was also located along roadways that, within the previous hour, were observed by deputies as being free of damage,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Randy Jones said in a press release. “Property owners were contacted and investigations were initiated. Information was received indicating a dark colored vehicle was a potential suspect occupied by at least two (white males).”

At about 4 a.m. town of Elon police Unit and an Elon University campus police reported stopping a vehicle on Williamson Avenue in Elon matching that description. Deputies met with the Elon officers and the four occupants in the car were charged by both Elon police and the sheriff’s office.

The names of those charged were not immediately available.

Jones said there are several reports of damaged mailboxes to sort through.

“Similar charges have been filed by Gibsonville Police. Offenses of a similar nature are being reported possibly in Burlington as well as Mebane. Other jurisdictions may also receive reports,” Jones said.

The total number of incidents wasn’t known by Tuesday afternoon but Jones said more charges are anticipated.

“Damage estimates are incomplete,” Jones said. “Damages are anticipated as being in the thousands of dollars.”